Molecular sieves of the crystalline aluminosilicate zeolite type are well known in the art and now comprise over 150 species of both naturally occurring and synthetic compositions. In general the crystalline zeolites are formed from corner-sharing AlO.sub.2 and SiO.sub.2 tetrahedra and are characterized by having pore openings of uniform dimensions, having a significant ion-exchange capacity and being capable of reversibly desorbing an adsorbed phase which is dispersed throughout the internal voids of the crystal without displacing any atoms which make up the permanent crystal structure.
Other crystalline microporous compositions which are not zeolitic, i.e. do not contain AlO.sub.2 tetrahedra as essential framework constituents, but which exhibit the ion-exchange and/or adsorption characteristics of the zeolites are also known. Metal organosilicates which are said to possess ion-exchange properties, have uniform pores and are capable of reversibly adsorbing molecules having molecular diameters of about 6 .ANG. or less, are reported in U.S. Pat. No. 3,941,871 issued Mar. 2, 1976 to Dwyer et al. A pure silica polymorph, silicalite, having molecular sieving properties and a neutral framework containing neither cations not cation sites is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,061,724 issued Dec. 6, 1977 to R. W. Grose et al.
A recently reported class of microporous compositions and the first framework oxide molecular sieves synthesized without silica, are the crystalline aluminophosphate compositions disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,310,440 issued Jan. 12, 1982 to Wilson et al. These materials are formed from AlO.sub.2 and PO.sub.2 tetrahedra and have electrovalently neutral frameworks as in the case of silica polymorphs. Unlike the silica molecular sieve, silicalite, which is hydrophobic due to the absence of extra-structural cations, the aluminophosphate molecular sieves are moderately hydrophilic, apparently due to the difference in electronegativity between aluminum and phosphorus. Their intracrystalline pore volumes and pore diameters are comparable to those known for zeolites and silica molecular sieves.
In U.S. Pat. No. 4,440,871 there is described a novel class of silicon-substituted aluminophosphates which are both microporous and crystalline. The materials have a three dimensional crystal framework of PO.sub.2.sup.+, AlO.sub.2.sup.- and SiO.sub.2 tetrahedral units and, exclusive of any alkali metal or calcium which may optionally be present, an as-synthesized empirical chemical composition on an anhydrous basis of: EQU mR:(Si.sub.x Al.sub.y P.sub.z)O.sub.2
wherein "R" represents at least one organic templating agent present in the intracrystalline pore system; "m" represents the moles of "R" present per mole of (Si.sub.x Al.sub.y P.sub.z)O.sub.2 and has a value of from zero to 0.3, the maximum value in each case depending upon the molecular dimensions of the templating agent and the available void volume of the pore system of the particular silicoaluminophosphate species involved; and "x", "y", and "z" represent the mole fractions of silicon, aluminum and phosphorus, respectively, present as tetrahedral oxides. The minimum value for each of "x", "y", and "z" is 0.01 and preferaby 0.02. The maximum value for "x" is 0.98; for "y" is 0.60; and for "z" is 0.52. These silicoaluminophosphates exhibit several physical and chemical properties which are characteristic of aluminosilicate zeolites and aluminophosphates.
In U.S. Pat. No. 4,500,651 there is described a novel class of titanium-containing molecular sieves whose chemical composition in the as-synthesized and anhydrous form is represented by the unit empirical formula: EQU mR:(Ti.sub.x Al.sub.y P.sub.z)O.sub.2
wherein "R" represents at least one organic templating agent present in the intracrystalline pore system; "m" represents the moles of "R" present per mole of (Ti.sub.x Al.sub.y P.sub.z)O.sub.2 and has a value of between zero and about 5.0; and "x", "y" and "z" represent the mole fractions of titanium, aluminum and phosphorus, respectively, present as tetrahedral oxides.
In U.S. Pat. No. 4,567,029, there is described a novel class of crystalline metal aluminophosphates having three-dimensional microporous framework structures of MO.sub.2, AlO.sub.2 and PO.sub.2 tetrahedral units and having an empirical chemical composition on an anhydrous basis expressed by the formula: EQU mR:(M.sub.x Al.sub.y P.sub.z)O.sub.2
wherein "R" represents at least one organic templating agent present in the intracrystalline pore system; "m" represents the moles of "R" present per mole of (M.sub.x Al.sub.y P.sub.z)O.sub.2 and has a value of from zero to 0.3; "M" represents at least one metal of the group magnesium, manganese, zinc and cobalt; "x", "y", and "z" represent the mole fractions of the metal "M", aluminum and phosphorus, respectively, present as tetrahedral oxides.
In U.S. Pat. No. 4,544,143, there is described a novel class of crystalline ferroaluminophosphates having a three-dimensional microporous framework structure of FeO.sub.2, AlO.sub.2 and PO.sub.2 tetrahedral units and having an empirical chemical composition on an anhydrous basis expressed by the formula EQU mR:(Fe.sub.x Al.sub.y P.sub.z)O.sub.2
wherein "R" represents at least one organic templating agent present in the intracrystalline pore system; "m" represents the moles of "R" present per mole of (Fe.sub.x Al.sub.y P.sub.z)O.sub.2 and has a value of from zero to 0.3; and "x", "y" and "z" represent the mole fractions of the iron, aluminum and phosphorus, respectively, present as tetrahedral oxides.
The instant invention relates to new molecular sieve compositions having framework tetrahedral units of LiO.sub.2.sup.-3, AlO.sub.2.sup.- and PO.sub.2.sup.+.